A Weekend of Discovery
by WhittyKittyX3
Summary: IshiHime. Orihime wants to spice up her boring weekend with a 3 day get together with her 3 closest friends. Fun and games turn into more serious emotional and thought provoking matters, and personal discoveries are made. Rated M for later chapters.
1. The Invitation

**Story: **A Weekend of Discovery

**Chapter: **Chapter One: The Invitation

**Rating: **K+

**Pairings: **Ichigo x Rukia and Ishida x Inoue

**Summary: **Orihime wants to spice up her boring weekend with a 3 day get together with her 3 closest friends. Fun and games turn into more serious emotional and thought provoking matters, and personal discoveries are made.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach or any characters thereof. This is purely fan made.

It was a beautiful Friday afternoon in Karakura town and all of the students in Karakura High were anxious to be set free to enjoy the rest of the day's perfect weather. However, for one particular class, one thing stood between the bondage of learning and the freedom of the outdoors: a test. There were 5 minutes remaining before the dreadful exam was to be handed out, and many students had their textbooks and note cards out, cramming as many last-minute bits of information into their memory banks as they could fit. Others were sitting nervously at their desks, awaiting the unavoidable doom, while a few others nonchalantly chatted about the insignificance of a test score in one's life. Ichigo and Rukia were among those who were doing last minute study sessions, though Ichigo seemed considerably less concerned than Rukia.

"Come on, Ichigo! It's important to keep your brain sharp and focused, even if the subject at hand isn't all that interesting to you!" Rukia said.

"Yeah, right. And who told you that line, Byakuya? Besides, I did enough studying last night to get at least an average grade. I'll be fine," replied Ichigo, annoyed by Rukia's sudden sense of authority.

"Well a little reviewing won't hurt you. So tell me, what is this?" Rukia stubbornly held out a note card just inches away from Ichigo's face.

"It's a note card, you moron. Even you should know that." Rukia fumed at his response.

"I know _what_ it is, smart ass. Tell me what's _on_ it!" She demanded. Ichigo stared at the card for a moment, as if pondering.

"It looks like a really crappy drawing of two rabbits swordfighting?" At that, Rukia gave Ichigo a death glare, and flipped the card at his face.

"I didn't spend hours making these so you could poke fun at my drawings. I'm trying to help you here. Look, Orihime is using her time wisely to review," Rukia insisted, pointing toward Orihime who was writing furiously on a piece of paper. The red-headed girl had heard none of the conversation between her two classmates, as she was too enveloped in her writing. She sat back once, chewed on the tip of her pencil while looking upwards, and then smiled and wrote a few more words. She then tore the paper into three equal parts, and folded each part into a small square before writing three separate names on each: Kurosaki-kun, Ishida-kun, and Kuchiki-san. Orihime quickly arose from her seat and trotted toward Ichigo and Rukia's desks.

"Here you go!" Orihime cheerfully said, as she handed her two friends the notes. She quickly scampered off.

"So much for 'wisely spending her time studying,'" Ichigo quipped, grinning with victory. Rukia hardly noticed.

"Mine has a cute bunny drawn on the front!" Rukia's eyes glazed over with adoration. "What does yours have, Ichigo?" He looked down at his folded note, his name so carefully written across the front. In the corner was a drawing of a lion holding an over-sized strawberry atop its head.

"She sure is creative," Ichigo commented with an amused look on his face.

Uryuu sat at his desk in the front of the room, quietly passing the time by reading his book. He had no need to worry, nor any need to review. He always studied new material learned in class every day after school, and of course he knew that cramming just before a test actually lowered one's performance. His attention was diverted from his reading when he felt someone approaching and suddenly saw a white piece of paper slide onto his desk. By the time he had lowered his book, the person had left, but the folded paper remained. He studied its appearance and smiled at the drawing of a stuffed animal and spool of thread at the bottom corner. "_Orihime," _he thought to himself.

"Alright class, take your seats! In my hand here…" the teacher smacked her red pen against a large stack of papers she held in her opposite hand, "…are your test packets. Half is essay, the other half is multiple choice. I hope you all studied hard, because this won't be easy. Once you've finished, you may turn in your test to me and leave." With that, the teacher passed out the exams with a sadistic grin on her face.

Uryuu was the third person to finish his test, as the two students before him had randomly filled in bubbles on the multiple choice, and had written, in detail, about the adventures of Don Kononji. These two students had not only fluffed their entire tests, they had copied off of one another. They went by the names of Keigo and Mizuiro. Uryuu probably could even have finished before those two, however he chose to check his answers. Twice. Satisfied, he gathered his belongings, slipped the note into his pocket, and handed his test in to the teacher before quietly leaving the room. Ichigo glared at him, tapping his pencil against his desk. "_That Uryuu makes it look so damn easy,"_ he thought to himself. He stared down at his test for a while, then continued to write.

An hour later, most of the students had finished the exam, including Ichigo and Rukia who were walking down the school steps together.

"So, how do you think you did?" Rukia asked, looking over at Ichigo.

"What's with your sudden interest in my grades lately?" Ichigo said, putting his hands in his pockets and looking straight ahead. "It's not like it was cake, but I'm sure I passed." His fingers brushed against the note that he had placed in his pocket before. Rukia seemed to know what he was thinking, as she pulled out the note she had received earlier.

"Hmm, so I wonder what this is about?" She pondered, as she carefully unfolded the note. Her eyes scanned across the paper and she smiled warmly. Ichigo glanced at her curiously.

"So?" He asked, impatiently. Rukia read the note once more, aloud this time.

"Hello Kuchiki-san! I thought that, since nothing's really going on this weekend, maybe you and Kurosaki-kun and Ishida-kun could all come over to my apartment until Sunday evening. We could have so much fun! We could cook, and I have games we can play, or we could go for a walk, unless it rained but I guess that wouldn't matter too much I mean it's not like any of us are going to melt if we get wet, right? Unless one of us is a witch, which would be really strange because…Oh no! I'm rambling again. Well, please consider this invitation, I look forward to seeing you all there! Signed, Inoue Orihime. P.S. Kuchiki-san, you've always been such a great friend, and you're so pretty and strong and talented. I really look up to you. I hope we can always be such great friends!"

Rukia refolded the note and tucked it back into her uniform pocket. Excitedly, she turned toward Ichigo. "Let's go! It sounds like it'll be a lot of fun!"

"Calm down, spazz-head. Yeah, I'm sure dad wouldn't mind if I took a few days off around the clinic to hang with friends. Especially if you and Orihime are involved, then he'd probably even encourage it," Ichigo replied, with a hint of disgust in his voice. Rukia stared at ichigo, impatience in her eyes. "What?"

"You got a note too, didn't you? What does yours say?" Ichigo grasped the note from his pocket, unfolded it and read it to himself. His eyes scanned the last few lines, and a light blush appeared on his face.

"Well, what is it? You're blushing, there must be something good in there," Rukia coyly remarked, trying to grab the note away from him.

"Wh-what? No! It's nothing, really. It says about the same thing as yours does."

"No way, you're hiding something. I bet yours has a P.S. too, what does it say?" She pried.

"Mind your own damn business, shorty," he spouted, holding the note up high so Rukia couldn't reach it. She glared at him and jumped up on his back, causing them both to tumble down the remaining steps. She emerged victorious, note in hand.

"Dammit, Rukia! Gimme the stupid note back!" He cursed. She was already reading the last few lines, though. _P.S. Umm, this is sort of embarrassing to say, but Kurosaki-kun, you're really a great person, even though a lot of people pick on you. You're my hero, thank you for always being there for me. Oh! And I think you're very cute, especially when you smile._

"That's it? Really, Ichigo, you get so flustered by the smallest of matters."

"Get off your high horse!" He scowled even more than usual and snatched the note back, shoving it into his pants pocket.

Uryuu casually strode down the sidewalk, messenger bag on his left shoulder and a cloth sack in his right hand, which contained all of his sewing supplies. He walked toward a nearby park, intending to enjoy the rest of the afternoon outside with a bit of sewing and an afternoon snack. Better to eat small portions often than large meals thrice a day, after all. He found a quiet, shady spot beneath an old oak tree and sat down, resting his back against the trunk. He set his sewing bag aside, reached into his messenger bag and pulled out his afternoon snack. One small bowl and a thermos filled with mackerel miso soup, along with his chopsticks engraved with his name, were set on the grass beside him. Finally, he reached into his pocket and retrieved the note from class, carefully unfolding it as if it were made from fine Chinese silk. He let his eyes run quickly over the words written on the page once, paused as if thinking, and read it once again, more slowly. He smiled and repositioned his glasses, then refolded the note and replaced it in his pocket.

He had only been sitting for a half hour, enjoying his soup and embroidering a few stitches into his latest project, when he heard footsteps approaching him at full speed from behind. Instinctively, he tensed slightly, ready for action, and without moving his head an inch he glanced at the reflection in his glasses to see what was approaching him. All he managed to catch was a blur of orange before he was toppled over completely.

"Iiiiiiiiishida-kuuuuun!" The girl happily yelled, wrapping her arms around him tightly. Uryuu quickly recovered from the attack, shoved his project into his bag in the blink of an eye, and blushed slightly. She smelled of fresh morning dew and cool summer rains, as always.

"I-Inoue-san…Good afternoon," he replied, regaining full composure by readjusting his glasses.

"So, are you coming to the party? You are aren't you? A party isn't a party without the fun enigmatic Ishida around!" She chirped. Uryuu stared in amazement. Her cheerfulness always caught him off guard and shook his composure. Though, admittedly, he was also surprised by the fact that she knew the definition of the word 'enigmatic' and could use it correctly in a sentence.

"Ah, a party now, is it? I suppose I could come, as long as things don't become too boisterous and disorderly," Uryuu calmly replied. Of course he had already decided his answer the minute he'd opened her note and read her words. Orihime beamed at his response. "About…the note, however…" He solemnly began. "I…"

"Oi! Uryuu, Orihime, that you guys?" Yelled someone quite a distance off. Uryuu sighed. There was no mistaking that disrespectful tone and that loud dandelion hair. Orihime quickly turned around and saw Ichigo and Rukia headed in their direction. Enthusiastically, she waved them over.

"Hai! This way, over here!" She yelled. Ichigo and Rukia picked up their pace and jogged toward their two friends. Uryuu suddenly wondered how everyone could find him so easily.

"Good afternoon, Inoue, Ishida!" Rukia greeted.

"Ah. Kuchiki-san…Kurosaki," Uryuu nodded and gave a subtle challenging glance toward Ichigo. Ichigo returned the glance equally.

"So you two are joining Ishida and I this weekend aren't you?" asked Orihime, hopefully.

"Of course we are! We.." Rukia began.

"Yeah, just tell the Quincy here to stop giving such hateful glances, and remove whatever knitting needle he has stuck up his…" Ichigo interrupted. Rukia quickly kicked Ichigo over into the grass before he could finish. Orihime looked slightly confused.

"Well that's great, then!" Orihime said, glancing at her wristwatch. "Oh! It's nearly 4:30 already, I'd better hurry home and clean things up for you guys. Um, just stop by in an hour and things should be ready!" That said, Orihime rushed off to her apartment without another word.

"I have things that need finishing before this event. I'll see you two in an hour. Good day," Uryuu said, and departed quickly with his gathered belongings. Ichigo, now sitting on the grass from Rukia's punishing kick, watched his raven-haired friend make a quick exit.

"Good day" He mimicked. "It's like he's avoiding us more than usual with that cold attitude."

"I wonder what _his_ note said," pondered Rukia. Ichigo's eyes widened, as if not realizing that Orihime would even consider writing a note to Uryuu. Obviously covering his curiosity, Ichigo turned his head away.

"Tch, like it matters. Quit being so nosey."


	2. The Arrival

**Chapter:** Chapter Two: The Arrival

**Rating:** K+

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Bleachness, I just love the characters.

Orihime scrambled into her apartment, kicking her shoes off at the entrance and throwing her school bag aside. She stopped a moment to look around at the work that needed to be done. Piles of dirty laundry in one corner, dishes stacked up in the sink, and magazines intermingled with schoolwork strewn across her bed. Everything about her apartment was in disarray, save for one corner: the small shrine she kept for her deceased brother. She smiled at the photograph that was carefully placed in the middle of the arrangement of flowers and candles, walking toward it.

"Aiya, brother. I never seem to realize how messy I am until it's too late." She gazed at the photo for a while longer, gently tracing her finger over it. Quickly, her expression changed from soft to determined, a sparkle in her eye.

"Well, no time to waste! I've got lots of work to do before my friends come over!" She curled her fingers into fists, taking a fighting stance. She glared at the apartment as if it were her enemy and leapt forward toward the dirty pile of laundry.

"Uwahh!...Oomf!" Orihime yelled, as she landed flat on her face. She looked back to see that she had tripped over a pile of books. "Ah, maybe I'll start cleaning up over here first," she decided, rubbing her sore nose.

--

Ichigo and Rukia strolled down the sidewalk, headed toward Ichigo's house. He had his hands resting behind his head comfortably, gazing into the slowly setting sun as Rukia rummaged around in her school bag. She sighed in annoyance, seemingly unable to find what she was looking for, and then glanced up at Ichigo's calm and steady gaze toward the sun. She, too, looked at the sunset and smiled warmly.

"It really is beautiful isn't it? I don't usually get the time to admire such natural phenomena," she commented.

"No," came Ichigo's simple response. She looked at him confused and waited for a moment. Without turning his head, he glanced down at her confused face and decided to finish his response. "No, it's not beautiful at all. It's depressing." Rukia felt her heart sink a bit and seemed to immediately understand. They walked in silence a few more blocks before either of them spoke again.

"So, what were you searching for in that bag of yours?" Ichigo asked. Rukia's eyes lit up as she suddenly remembered.

"Ah! Well, I can't seem to find my soul candy," she replied. Ichigo stopped dead in his tracks.

"You lost…your soul candy?" He accused, raising his voice.

"No, I didn't say I lost it! I said I couldn't find it!"

"That means you lost it, idiot!"

"Whatever it may mean, it doesn't change the fact that I need more now. So we're stopping by Urahara's on the way home," she explained, trying to keep calm. Ichigo sighed, drudgingly following her.

"Fine, but I'm not goin' anywhere near Mr. Hat n' Clogs. I'll wait outside." Rukia nodded as they rounded the corner and walked up to the Urahara Shop. As if on cue, the shady dealer stepped out from the shadows of his store, fan covering the bottom half of his face so only his ominous eyes could be seen. Ichigo grimaced, keeping his distance by leaning against the gates outside the shop.

"Oh my, if it isn't my favorite customer, Kuchiki Rukia. You should know that the store is closed at this time of day. However, if you do something special for me I'll see what I can do for you," Urahara winked. Rukia snatched the fan from his hand and smacked him over the head with it.

"Quit playing around. I need more soul candy, I can't seem to find where I placed mine," she said, annoyed.

"Ahh…that wasn't very nice," Urahara whined, rubbing his head. "Well, if you'll come inside I'll see what I can find for you." The two slipped into the shadows of the store as Ichigo watched from outside. He shuddered. _"Something about that guy always gives me the creeps,_" Ichigo thought to himself.

Once inside the store, Urahara searched around in the back amongst the boxes and packages of 'special' products. "It's not like you to lose your possessions, Rukia!" He yelled from the other room. Rukia ignored his comment as he walked out from the room, holding a soul candy dispenser in his hand. "Since you're my favorite customer, I'll even make you a special deal. Not only is this your favorite Chappy character," he said, waving the dispenser in front of Rukia, "I'll even throw in a few extra candies, just in case. How does…3 extra sound?" He said, smiling. Rukia gleefully took the cute bunny dispenser and bowed.

"You're so generous, Urahara-san!" she exclaimed, leaving her money on the counter for him and trotting out toward Ichigo. Urahara waved at Ichigo from the shop entrance, making him get the chills again. He shook off the feeling and glanced down at an overjoyed Rukia.

"So, I take it you got your new Pez dispenser?" He asked. She raised her eyebrow in confusion.

"Pez? What's that?" She asked.

"Nothing, don't worry about it. Anyway let's head home."

--

Arriving at his apartment, Uryuu unlocked the door and left his shoes in their designated spot on the rug by his door. He glanced at the digital clock sitting atop his desk. "_45 minutes. I'll leave in 30," _he thought to himself, wanting to arrive early at Orihime's to discuss certain matters of importance in private. He carefully took out the project from his bag that he had been working on earlier in the park. Just a few finishing touches and it would be complete. He threaded a needle with glittery embroidery floss and let his nimble fingers quickly and accurately finish the last design. Gently laying the project down on his bed to admire the finished product, he nodded to himself. "That should do it," he said proudly, as he placed it back into his bag. Replacing his school books and papers with knitting needles, yarn, and a few extra outfits, he zipped his bag shut and set it by the door. He then went to his bathroom for a quick shower.

When he had finished, he brushed his teeth, combed his hair, and put on fresh clothing. He took one last glance in the mirror and sighed. "Well, here goes nothing," he said as he gathered the items and headed out the door. Walking down the street, he took out the note from before and read the first part again:

_Hello Ishida-kun! I'm writing to ask if you'd want to come over to my apartment for a weekend get-together with Kurosaki-kun and Kuchiki-san? It'll be lots of fun I promise! I've already got tons of activities lined up and there's plenty of room for the four of us. Plus, I have something for you so you really can't say no. Oh! And please bring your knitting stuff, I've really wanted to learn how to and I don't think anybody else is as good as you. I can't wait to see you there! Inoue_

Uryuu walked up the steps to her apartment door and rang the bell. A minute passed and no one answered the door. He looked at his watch, which read 5:20 and thought to himself, _"I'm only 10 minutes early. She should be here…"_ He knocked on the door this time and waited another minute. "Inoue-san?" he called. "It's me, Ishida. Are you home?" He heard a rustling inside and then quickly the door flung open to reveal an Orihime with disheveled hair and ipod ear buds around her neck.

"Ah! Ury- Er, I mean Ishida-kun! Sorry, I was just doing some last minute cleaning and I was listening to music and didn't hear you. Come in, come in!" She bowed politely.

"Ah, really. It's no big deal, I am a little early after all. I was hoping to discuss something with you before the others arrived."

"Oh really? And what's that?" She asked, rushing about to finish cleaning. Uryuu smiled at her. She looked very cute with her hair pulled back messily into a bun, floating around with so much energy.

"Allow me to help, please," he offered, walking up behind her. She spun around quickly, finding herself face to face with him. She paused for a moment, blushing lightly.

"Oh n-no, it's okay, really! I'm almost done, and besides, you're a guest! Guests don't do the work," she insisted. Having a closer view, Uryuu noticed a cut on her nose.

"Inoue-san, what happened to your nose?"

"Oh this? Well, it all started when my stuffed monkey started an all out war with my stuffed bunny. Monkey started throwing things and then bunny started using his karate and before I knew it I was caught in the middle!" Uryuu stared at her in utter confusion, his glasses sliding down his nose slightly.

"I'm just kidding! You should see the look on your face. It's really just a cleaning accident, no biggie," she reassured. Uryuu cleared his throat.

"Regardless, you really should take care of it so that it doesn't get infected," he stated, reaching into his bag for a small first aid kid. He pulled out a bandaid and a small bottle of medicine and squeezed a bit onto his finger, dabbing it on her nose. He covered the cut with the bandaid and smiled at her. "There, good as new." She giggled a bit in response.

"Thank you, Ishida-kun," she smiled. Unexpectedly, she reached up and pushed his glasses back into place. He stared at her for a moment. "They were sliding down, silly! Now, what was it you wanted to discuss?" She asked, getting back to cleaning.

"Oh, w-well…" he stammered. Did he really want to get into this right now? No, this would be the best chance he would have all weekend, he had no other options. "About your note, Inoue…" Orihime stopped cleaning and stood silently for a moment. The air was thick with tension, and Uryuu was really starting to become uncomfortable. "I…"

"Hey, Ishida-kun?" Orihime asked, barely audibly.

"Yes, Inoue-san?"

"I think I could use your help after all, if you wouldn't mind that is," she replied, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Of course not, what can I do for you?" He asked. "_This is the second time she's avoided the subject. Could she be regretting what she wrote?"_

"Just the rest of the dishes in the sink. I've gotten most of them cleaned, but there's a few left. Thanks a lot!" She hurried off into another room to continue her chores. Uryuu sighed and set down his bag, heading for the kitchen.

--

"We're going to be late, Ichigo!" Rukia yelled at him, impatiently waiting by his door.

"I know! You've already said it five times now! If you want me to move any faster, then get over here and start helping!" He yelled back.

"You got yourself into this mess, and I refuse to go through your dirty laundry." Rukia crinkled her nose in disgust, watching Ichigo as he searched for a few clean outfits amongst the piles of unclean laundry on his floor. _"Are all teenage boys this disorganized?"_ she wondered, watching as he finally found some clean clothes and shoved them into his bag.

"Okay, let's go!" Ichigo shouted, grabbing Rukia by the wrist and running down the hall. "Dad, we're leaving! I'll be back Sund-," Ichigo called, interrupted mid-sentence by a flying kick to the face.

"Son! You dare try leaving without a proper farewell?! And your defense is at its weakest when you're trying to escape!" his father yelled, scolding Ichigo who had tumbled across the floor and smacked into the wall.

"I wasn't trying to escape, old man! And I was just telling you that we were leaving!" Ichigo yelled, counterattacking with an uppercut to his father's jaw, sending him flying into the air. "Anyway we don't have time for this, we're already late. I'll be back Sunday night." Ichigo ran down the stairs and out the door. After bowing politely to a temporarily disabled Isshin, Rukia sped after Ichigo and caught up with him.

"Your father sure is hard-headed and violent," she commented, running beside Ichigo. "I can definitely see the resemblance." She smiled at him.

"Oh shut up, midget. You're running too slow," he grabbed her by surprise and lifted her up onto his back.

"Hey, what are you doing? I can run on my own, thank you!"

"Not with your short legs, you can't. It's already 5:50, I don't have time to wait for you to catch up to me."

"And whose fault is it that we're late to begin with?!"

"Yours, for not helping me!" Rukia smacked Ichigo over the head and jumped off his back just as they arrived at Orihime's apartment. She knocked three times on the door, and before she could knock any more, the door flung open to reveal Orihime cheerfully waiting.

"Oh, come in you two!" she looked over toward Ichigo who was standing hunched over, panting with an irritated look on his face. "Is everything okay?"

"Just fine! Thank you for inviting us!" Rukia said, curtseying before entering. Ichigo sighed heavily, following Rukia inside.

"Ishida-kun and I were just having some tea," she motioned toward a table where Uryuu sat, teacup in hand. He stood politely for Rukia, and nodded toward Ichigo. "Do you want some too? I made it myself, but Ishida-kun insisted that I only put the mint and chives in my own cup so the brew is rather bland."

"Uh, sure I'll have some with honey, please," Rukia smiled and sat at the table next to Uryuu.

"Just plain for me," said Ichigo, sitting next to Rukia. With that, Orihime went to her kitchen to prepare the drinks and start off the evening with friendly chatting among her best friends.

--

AN: I know, I know, more tension has been built up in this chapter than what I had originally planned. But the next one will resolve some of this! Critical reviews welcome as I'm a newbie and this is my first story teheh.


	3. Secrets Revealed

**Chapter: **Chapter Three: Secrets Revealed

**Rating: **T

**Disclaimer: **Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo. Not me. Thank you.

--

Having disappeared into the kitchen to make the drinks for her friends, Uryuu, Ichigo, and Rukia sat around the table, quiet for a few moments. Uryuu seemed to be content with the silence, sipping his tea, watching as the steam temporarily fogged up his glasses when he took a sip, and then cleared up when he put the cup back down. Ichigo and Rukia, however, seemed rather uncomfortable with the silence.

"So uh, what do you guys wanna do?" Ichigo asked, trying to break the unnerving period of soundlessness. Rukia glanced out the window and sighed lightly.

"When I was a bit younger, Nii-sama used to take me out on walks on evenings such as this around the outer edges of Soul Society. There were always such beautiful flowers on the paths he took me. He'd never look at me nor say a word, but it still made me happy to be walking next to him," Rukia said with a smile.

"Yeah, my mom would take me on walks, too. She'd always liked to walk by the river here, watching the sun set as she held my hand," Ichigo said, a nostalgic look on his face. They both looked toward Uryuu, who looked back at them clueless.

"Well, what about you? Did anyone ever take you on walks when you were a kid?" Ichigo asked him. Uryuu set down his cup and pushed his glasses into place.

"I never had such time for leisurely strolls. When I did take long walks, it was in order to visit my grandfather at his place, deep in the forest. He would not only train me in the ways of the Quincy, but he would always leave me with some piece of knowledge about life to think on. He was the wisest person I knew," Uryuu said, picking his cup back up. Ichigo stared at him for a moment.

"Sorry…about th-," Ichigo started.

"No need to apologize, Kurosaki," interrupted Uryuu. "It's in the past, and you had nothing to do with it."

"So you don't hate me anymore?" Ichigo asked. Uryuu stared at him incredulously, and then smirked.

"No, I don't hate you." He sipped his tea once more. Orihime returned with the two cups of tea for her friends, setting them down on the table.

"So, what is it we're going to do first then?" She asked excitedly, kneeling down beside Uryuu at the table and smoothing her dress out beneath her. Uryuu remained silent and Ichigo was too busy sipping his tea, loudly, to respond.

"Well, I think it's decided that we all want to go on a nice, evening walk," Rukia said. Orihime's eyes lit up instantly.

"Ohh! That's a great idea! And look, it's almost dusk so we can see the stars while we walk. Oh and maybe the fireflies will be out, and I bet the air smells great and it'll be the perfect time to get…something…to eat," Orihime's energetic wording slowed as she saw Ichigo crinkle his nose and make one of the funniest faces she had ever seen on him. She giggled and tried covering her amusement with her hand, but to no avail. Ichigo looked at her, and then down at his tea.

"Um…Rukia, I think this one's yours," Ichigo stated.

"Oh really?" Rukia asked, taking a sip of the tea in front of her. No flavor. "You're right, this one is much too bitter, it certainly fits you more," she jabbed, smiling devilishly at him.

"Well at least my taste in tea is straightforward and not trying to sugar coat its true nature like yours," he snapped, grabbing the cup from Rukia's hand and shoving the other toward her.

"That was a surprisingly well worded metaphor, congratulations Kurosaki," Uryuu said, unable to resist the opportunity.

"Don't patronize me. Whose side are you on anyways?" Ichigo yelled.

"Neither, seeing as you're both shinigami," Uryuu stated, simply.

"Ishida-kun's tea is spicy! What does that mean?" yelled Orihime, randomly. Uryuu coughed into his cinnamon spiced tea. Rukia couldn't help but smile, awaiting a response from Ichigo who seemed oblivious to the accidental second meaning behind Orihime's comment.

"It means he's trying to spice up his bland personality with overly dramatic bullshit," Ichigo replied, finishing his tea in one gulp. Uryuu grasped his cup tightly, glaring at Ichigo.

"So, how about that walk? Orihime?" Rukia said, restraining Ichigo and gesturing toward Orihime to do the same with Uryuu. Orihime nodded, placing her hands over Uryuu's. He immediately relaxed as she lead him toward the door, following Ichigo and Rukia.

"Come on, Ishida-kun! I'm hungry, let's get something yummy!" she yelled excitedly, practically dragging him behind her. Ichigo noted with obvious interest how Orihime pulled him along by his hands. Uryuu stumbled up next to Ichigo when she finally released him and ran ahead of the group, out the door. Rukia made sure the door shut securely behind them as Ichigo and Uryuu followed quite a few paces behind Orihime. Ichigo roughly placed his hand on Uryuu's shoulder, causing him to wobble slightly.

"So, what did your note say, huh?" Ichigo demanded. Uryuu threw Ichigo's hand off his shoulder and straightened his glasses.

"Don't touch me, you idiot. And what my note said does not concern you," Uryuu replied, sternly. Ichigo only smiled, knowing that Uryuu was hiding something very personal.

"Hurry up, you guys!" Orihime yelled from afar, turning back to wave at them.

"We're coming!" responded Rukia, speeding past the boys. Ichigo grabbed Uryuu by his tie and took off running after Orihime, dragging him along.

"You'll tell me what your note said whether you want to or not!" Ichigo threatened.

"I will not!! Now release me, you're going to ruin this tie!" Uryuu yelled at him. The four of them ran down the street, headed toward Orihime's favorite place to eat.

--

A few hours later, the group had returned from a filling dinner and a long, peaceful night's walk. Orihime trotted happily alongside Uryuu as Rukia and Ichigo trailed behind them. Uryuu glanced behind him and saw Rukia and Ichigo whispering amongst themselves, pointing toward him and Orihime. He could feel his patience thinning. Orihime ran up toward her door, unlocking it and dashing inside. She immediately began digging through her drawer as Uryuu stepped in. He watched in amusement and wondered how she could always have so much energy. Rukia and Ichigo soon entered, closing the door behind them.

"I'm going to take a shower!" Orihime announced, as she walked down the hall to the bathroom, carrying her fresh nighttime clothing. "It won't take long, please, feel free to use whatever you like while I'm gone!" With that said, she shut the door and began running the water. Ichigo and Rukia suddenly looked at each other with devious glances, as if they were plotting some conspiracy. Uryuu began to sweat nervously.

"So're you gonna tell us what your note said?" stated Ichigo, demanding it more than asking a question.

"No, I'm not! It's none of your business, would you give it a rest already!" Uryuu yelled, clearly flustered. Rukia nodded at Ichigo. What were those two up to? Before Uryuu could think another thought, Ichigo had leapt behind him and held his wrists together tightly behind his back, while holding his arm against Uryuu's neck. Uryuu struggled violently but it was no use. When it came to brute strength, Ichigo clearly had the upper hand.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Uryuu demanded. Rukia answered him by reaching into his pocket and pulling out his note. She quickly unfolded it and read it while Uryuu kicked furiously and turned a nice shade of deep red. She stared in disbelief at Ichigo.

"What? What does it say?" He asked, struggling to keep Uryuu restrained. Just then, Rukia began mumbling something under her breath, yet Uryuu clearly heard the word 'Bakudou' as her hand made a swift movement across her chest. She had used Demon Arts to restrain his soul! Uryuu fell down limply, unable to move his body.

"Rukia! That's cheating! Release me immediately, damnit!" Ichigo could no longer tell if Uryuu was red with embarrassment or anger, he was just glad that he was still restrained. Rukia handed Ichigo the note, who quickly snatched it and read the words. Uryuu watched helplessly.

_Hello Ishida-kun! I'm writing to ask if you'd want to come over to my apartment for a weekend get-together with Kurosaki-kun and Kuchiki-san? It'll be lots of fun I promise! I've already got tons of activities lined up and there's plenty of room for the four of us. Plus, I have something for you so you really can't say no. Oh! And please bring your knitting stuff, I've really wanted to learn how to and I don't think anybody else is as good as you. I can't wait to see you there! Inoue_

_P.S. Ishida-kun…it's hard to say this in person, but…the truth is, I really like you. And I've been wanting to know if…if you feel the same way and if you do…would you like to be my boyfriend? I mean, I can wait but…in the end, I really want to be with you. Please let me know soon._

Ichigo could not believe his eyes. Had Orihime, possibly the most attractive girl in his class, just asked Uryuu, the dorkiest pansy he could think of, to be her lover? He looked at Uryuu in shock, yet he also felt relief. Ichigo knew for quite some time now that Orihime had liked him, even loved him, at one point. Yet he regrettably did not feel the same way for her, so he pretended to be oblivious to avoid hurting her feelings. He never expected that she would fall for Uryuu, not in a million years. Ichigo sighed heavily, releasing a huge psychological weight off his back. He could now be more open with his feelings toward the one he loved, if he chose to that is. He knelt down, smiling at Uryuu in a strangely calm manner, placing the note on top of Uryuu's head. Uryuu was completely motionless, looking back up at Ichigo, though he could not see his eyes due to a glare on his glasses. Ichigo wasn't sure he wanted to see them anyway.

"Are you two finished humiliating me?" Uryuu asked, death threats emanating from his tone.

"Oh come on, don't be embarrassed. You should be proud! Orihime's a really pretty girl," Ichigo said, grinning.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, when this restraint is lifted, I will kill you," threatened Uryuu. Ichigo felt chills race up and down his spine. Just then, the bathroom door flung open and Orihime cheerfully walked out in her pajamas, brushing her still wet hair. She looked down to see Uryuu lying on the floor.

"Is Ishida-kun okay? Why is he on the floor?" she asked. Rukia quickly released her bind on him.

"Oh yeah, he's fine! He just likes your carpet," Ichigo lied with a nervous laugh. Uryuu calmly stood up, his back to Orihime.

"Inoue, I apologize for what you're about to see," Uryuu stated. Orihime looked confused and Ichigo looked terrified. Before another breath was taken, Uryuu used Hirenkyaku to appear just in front of Ichigo. He landed a hard punch square into Ichigo's face, knocking him back a few paces next to the window. He then materialized his bow, pointed it straight at Ichigo's head, and released an arrow. Everyone stared in shock as the spirit arrow narrowly missed Ichigo's head by a few millimeters, safely flying out the open window and leaving a burn mark on Ichigo's cheek.

"Next time, I won't miss," he said, dematerializing his bow. Orihime gasped.

"Ishida! What did you do that for?" She yelled, upset and worried.

"Trust me, he deserved it," responded Uryuu, turning around to face her. His breath was caught in his throat and he was struck motionless at the sight of Orihime. Her radiant skin shone and her grey eyes sparkled with the intensity no color in the spectrum could replicate. Her beautiful auburn hair lay flat against her cheeks and draped down over her chest, mimicking the pale yellow, flowing nightgown she wore. He blushed deeply, causing his glasses to fog just slightly. Just then, Ichigo's foot landed squarely in the center of Uryuu's back sending him flying past Orihime and onto the floor.

"Payback, you ass," Ichigo huffed, laying out his pillow and sleeping bag on the floor. Rukia smacked him across the back of the head with her pillow.

"Ow, jeez! What wa-,"

"I'm going to shower, try to behave while I'm gone," Rukia said, walking toward the bathroom. Ichigo waved her comment off, laying down and sliding under his sleeping bag.

"I'm goin' to sleep, you and Uryuu are givin' me a headache!," he yelled after her. The bathroom door slammed shut. Uryuu stood up, dusting himself off and sighed. There was no use continuing this argument tonight, and Inoue was clearly upset and confused which was the last thing he wanted. His head was much too full of annoying thoughts constantly running loops in his mind, and his body still contained too much adrenaline to be able to fall asleep. He walked to his bag he had brought earlier and pulled out a small book.

"Inoue, I'll be sitting at your desk and reading for a while if you don't mind," he stated.

"Oh, no, that's fine of course!" she said, clearly masking some sort of painful emotions. She watched him sit down, open his book, and turn on her small desk lamp. She stared at him for a while longer, watching him slowly flip the pages and rub the corners of the paper between his fingers. She blushed lightly and immediately turned around to finish brushing her hair. Uryuu smiled, knowing what her thoughts must be. His smile faded as he remembered his own troubling thoughts. He softly sighed, and flipped another page.

Orihime retrieved two more sets of sleeping bags and pillows, laying one set out directly beside Ichigo, and the other beside that one. She went to retrieve one more when Rukia stepped out of the bathroom and saw her bustling about.

"Oh, don't worry about that Inoue! I've brought my own," she said, running to get her things. She returned with not only a pillow and sleeping bag, but an adorable pink stuffed Chappy bunny as well.

"Oooooh my gosh, is that yours? It's so cute!" Orihime squealed, pointing toward the bunny in Rukia's arms.

"Isn't it just the sweetest thing you've ever seen?" Rukia replied, hugging it tightly.

"Can I see it?" Orihime asked, with big puppy dog eyes. Rukia smiled, handing her precious bunny over to Orihime who squealed and hugged it tightly. Rukia began laying her sleeping bag and pillow down on the other side of Ichigo, who was already deep asleep and slightly drooling.

"Does he always look so angry in his sleep?" Orihime asked Rukia, reluctantly handing Chappy back over toward her. Rukia took the bunny and put it under the sleeping bag with its head laying against the pillow.

"Usually he does. It makes it even worse, though, if you pull on his hair or tickle his nose," Rukia said, pulling lightly on one of his bright orange strands. His face contorted, and his eyes twitched. Orihime giggled at his strange reaction as Rukia kept torturing him. Uryuu nervously continued to read his book in the other corner of the room, making a mental note to always fall asleep _after_ Rukia and Orihime had.

"Well, we should get some rest," Rukia said, tucking herself under her sleeping bag and holding tightly to her Chappy.

"Oh, you're right! It is getting pretty late," Orihime responded, glancing at her clock. She looked over toward Uryuu. "Um, is it okay if I turn off the light?" she asked him.

"Of course, I still have the desk lamp, and I'll be asleep shortly," Uryuu replied. Orihime nodded and turned her room light off, sliding herself beneath her sleeping bag and closing her eyes tightly. She really wanted to sleep, she really needed to sleep. Her mind, however, would not allow her to forget her troubling thoughts.

Rukia sleepily gazed over at Ichigo through half opened eyes. She admired the way the soft lighting outlined his face and made his hair seem to glow. He looked angelic, except for that scowl on his face. She reached over toward him and lightly placed her hand on his cheek, brushing her thumb over his lips. She watched as his eyebrows began to relax and his frown straighten out. This was the only way she knew to soften that harsh expression of his and hopefully ease the pain he carried with him. " _I wonder what he's dreaming,_" she thought with a smile, caressing his cheek gently. He parted his lips very slightly, and let out what sounded like a sigh to everyone else, yet she clearly heard her name. She stared at him in awe, wondering if what she heard was correct. She had done this many times before, but this was the first time he had ever whispered her name in his sleep. Was he dreaming of her? Just then, he rolled over and began to snore loudly again. An annoyed look crept onto Rukia's face as she held back the urge to smack him over the head. She grabbed her bunny and rolled over, her back facing Ichigo. "Goodnight, you idiot," she quietly said under her breath.

Uryuu continued to read his book, 45 minutes later. He looked over toward his friends who all seemed to be deep asleep, as he should be. He sighed as he realized his mind was not going to give him any kind of reprieve tonight. Closing his book and turning off the desk lamp, he stood and stretched, yawning slightly. His body ached for rest and his mind ached for answers. He pulled off his socks, putting them in his bag, and then set his glasses down on Orihime's desk. Rubbing the corners of his eyes, he sleepily made his way over toward his friends.

Uryuu crawled beneath his sleeping bag, to the right of Orihime and to the left of Ichigo, who was already snoring loudly enough. Rukia rested quietly on the other end next to Ichigo. Uryuu glared at the orange-haired boy before quickly turning over on his side. "_You're even undignified in your sleep,"_ he thought to himself. His eyes then caught site of Orihime's beautiful shining hair, draped lightly over her pillow just in front of him. He longed to reach out and stroke his fingers through those silky strands, to hold her head comfortingly against his chest. He then noticed that her breathing was not steady, and her body seemed a bit tense. Was she still awake?

"Inoue?..." he softly called to her in the dark.

"Hai, Ishida-kun?" she replied after a moment of silence.

"Ah, so you are still awake. Is there anything troubling your mind?" he asked gently. Orihime stopped breathing a moment, seemingly holding something back but he could not see her face to read her eyes nor her expression.

"No, I think I just had too much tea earlier and it's keeping me up." Uryuu knew this was a bluff and was lightly irritated by it.

"Inoue-san, I'd like to talk to you about what you wrote me," he stated, confidently.

"Uryuu…" she softly interjected.

_Again, she said my first name._ "No, please don't interrupt Inoue. I've waited all day, and I'd really like to clear up any confusion between us," he said. She obeyed and waited patiently in the dark, still not facing him. "You asked me something that I've honestly wanted to hear for a very long time now," he started, trying to be bold even though the words seemed choked in his throat. "But, what I'd like to say, and what I must say are two different things."

"What do you mean?" she responded, quietly, fidgeting with a few strands of her hair.

"I mean that…Inoue, I really like you too, but I just don't want to be your second best." He had finally admitted his feelings. He clenched the blanket beneath him into his fist, awaiting her response. She seemed to remain silent for ages, before she finally spoke up.

"My…second best? But, it isn't like that, Ishida-kun," she began. He closed his eyes tightly and knit his eyebrows together trying his best to keep his emotions in check.

"I know that you loved Kurosaki," he interrupted, "but I don't want you to have to settle for someone less, for your second best choice, just because he is out of reach." He could feel that he was hurting her, and he wanted to strangle Ichigo for even putting her in such a position to begin with.

"But that's not right," she stated, more confidently than he had expected. "I did love Kurosaki-kun, for a long time. And even though he was always there to save me, he was never there to comfort me," she softly trailed off, yet Uryuu unmistakably heard her whisper three more words: "…Like you are." She turned over to face Uryuu, a few tears forming in her glassy eyes. He stared at her, unable to speak, unable to move.

"I just eventually came to realize, that he wasn't the type of person I had my heart set on. He's so rough and violent, his voice and his touch are so harsh. But after getting to know you better, I realized that you fit all of the expectations I had hoped Kurosaki-kun would. All of this time, you were the one I was looking for," she quietly finished, a few tears rolling down her cheeks. Instinctively, Uryuu gently placed his hand on her cheek and wiped her tears away.

"Then why did you keep avoiding the subject all day?" he managed to ask.

"I just didn't want to be rejected again," she shakily responded. His heart ached in empathy for her. Why did she always try to carry these burdens alone? Without thinking, he pulled her close to him and let her head rest against his chest as his chin rested atop her head.

"If that's the case," he began, unable to keep a slight smile from forming on his lips, "then what I want to say, and what I must say are one in the same." She looked up at him with that bright spark of hope in her eyes. "My answer, then, is yes. And…I love y-," but before he could finish, Orihime had joyfully sealed their lips in a kiss.

--

AN: Sorry about the long wait for this chapter, but I hope you all enjoyed it! More coming soon.


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